Community searches for beloved care home cat who went missing in Buffalo, Minn.
Shadow is missing from a care home in Buffalo, Minnesota.
(FOX 9) - At Lake Ridge Senior Health and Living in Buffalo, Shadow the cat is pretty popular. He's not just the mascot for the center, but he gives support to residents and their families.
Now, community members are desperately searching for him as he’d gone missing nearly two weeks ago.
"Everyone wants to know where he is. Everyone that walks in the door, asks ‘has shadow been found,’" said Nicole Mull, who is organizing the search.
For more than a decade, Shadow has been a constant companion. The 16-year-old cat first came to Lake Ridge Senior Health and Living as the pet of a resident. When that resident passed away, Shadow stayed.
Nicole Mull, who used to work at the facility, said Shadow is a source of joy for many.
"Everyone that comes in the door, he greets them… and just petting him for a few moments just relaxes you and relieves that tension," she said.
Mull said she vividly remembers a young woman who rarely let go of Shadow as her father died in hospice.
"He was wrapped in a blanket, and in the blanket she had Shadow. Her tears were just rolling down her face and falling on shadow, and he didn’t care. He was there for her comfort," she said.
On Sept. 9, Shadow slipped out of Lake Ridge. They believe he might have been chasing stray cats he saw out front. Since then, Nicole has managed the constant effort to find him - combing the neighborhoods, scouring the parks, and posting his pictures.
"We have done so much searching… hours and hours. We have gotten calls at 4 a.m. thinking they saw Shadow," Mull said.
Now, they fear the worst but still hold out hope that maybe someone took him in.
"He brought my grandpa so much comfort, he brought my grandma so much comfort. He brought me comfort… and my kids while we were all there visiting."
If you have seen Shadow, please call 612-875-9680.